Idea of the Month

Using Wipe and Swipe Compressed Sponges

A fun product in our catalog are Wipe and Swipe compressed sponges (#1783, package of 3).  Use these versatile sponges along with re-inkers, rainbow ink pads and your imagination to create beautiful backgrounds and textures for your cards and layouts.

Step 1:  Ink up the Sponge

For most Wipe and Swipe techniques, you will use the edge of the sponge, not the flat surfaces.   Inking up the sponge is simple: just place drops of Close To My Heart Exclusive Inks TM Re-inkers along the edge of the dry sponge.  Use the long edge or the short edge, depending on the width of the stripe pattern you want.  Alternate two, three or more colors of ink as desired.

Step 2:  Swipe!

Simply "swipe" or pull the edge of the sponge over your paper.  Glossy or matte cardstock will work, though the ink flows more smoothly over glossy cardstock.  Make simple stripe patterns, wavy lines, plaids, or whatever!  You'll get even more variations as the ink fades into lighter colors as you go along.  You can add more ink, OR get more mileage out of each inking by using a spray bottle of water: simply mist the edge of the sponge when it gets too dry.  By misting periodically, you can create patterns on several pieces of cardstock, each a bit different than the last until the ink finally runs out.

What to do with these patterns?  Well... of course you can use them as backgrounds.  Or, as shown in photo above, stamp and image over top of the pattern to cut out and mount separately.  Here's the final product:

Example 1:

This card uses Close To My Heart Exclusive Inks TM Re-inkers in New England Ivy and Cranberry.

Example 2:

Or, use the Wipe and Swipe in short little strokes to create "grass."  Here I've used Close To My Heart Exclusive Inks TM Re-inkers in Kentucky Green and Clover Meadow.

Example 3:

In this sample, the flat surface of the sponge was used instead.  Wet the sponge and swipe it first across your rainbow pad, and then across your cardstock.  You'll get a beautiful, soft look.  I thought this one one made a nice looking "twilight" scene.  NOTE: when swiping over your rainbow pad, make sure go "with" the grain of the pad so you don't mix the ink colors together! 

Step 3:  Other Variations

There are lots of other ways to use your sponges.  The flat surfaces can also be used to create squares, rectangles, or a checkerboard.  "Dab"  or "twist" the edge of the sponge onto the paper rather than "swipe" it to create all sorts of interesting patterns.  It's all up to you!

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